Dedicated April 19, 1903, this building was torn down in 1939 to build a manse.
At the spring meeting of Presbytery in 1899, a Rev. McDonald was appointed to supply this church with preaching once in each month. Mr. McDonald was placed at El Campo and owing to family health and impassable roads, visited this church only a few times and the church was practically without any services until the early part of 1901. Rev. G.W. Storey, then Evangelist, visited this church and arranged to supply for one Sunday in each month. Mr. Storey served the church as stated supply and as pastor until the spring meeting of Presbytery, 1903, the pastoral relations being dissolved by Presbytery on request of both parties.
During the ministry of Rev. G.W. Storey, the first church building was accomplished. In the fall of 1902 at a meeting of the congregation, it was resolved to erect a building “of our own” so that there might be more than one service in each month, and a regular Presbyterian Sabbath School. The building committee went to work at once and completed a building during the following March. The first service was held in the new building on April 19, 1903.
Dedicated April 19, 1903, this building was torn down in 1939 to build a manse.
The following week, a Sunday school was organized with 22 “scholars”, 5 officers, and teachers. During the first year, the average attendance was 33, with an enrollment of 45.
The church was built facing 5th Street, but the 1909 hurricane turned the front to Avenue H. Bowing to the will of the Lord, the building was blocked up and has remained facing Avenue H to this day.
The Rev. Lawrence E. Selfridge accepted a call to this church and began his ministry here in October, 1906. He continued as pastor, serving the church efficiently and acceptably, for eleven years, leaving Bay City in 1917.
Following the Rev. Selfridge as pastor was the Rev. Granville T. Storey. He werved the church faithfully and efficiently for 15 years, from 1917 until his retirement in 1932. Dr. Storey continued to live in Bay City until his death, October 27, 1940.
In 1932, serving this church as his first pastorate, came Ernest F. Deutsch. It was in 1936 that a new brick church building was dedicated. Located on the intersection of 5th Street and Avenue H, a new manse was built on the former location of the first church.
This building was built on the NW corner of 5th St. and Ave H in 1936. Robbins Hall, left, was added in 1938.
In October, 1949, Mr. Deutsch resigned from this pastorate as he was called by the Synod of Texas to become Director of Evangelism for the Synod. A pulpit committee was selected and supply preachers were provided until 1950 when the Rev. John W. Lancaster was offered and accepted the pastorate of the church. As with Mr. Deutsch, this was the first church for the Rev. Lancaster to serve as regular pastor. He remained in Bay City until 1953, when he accepted a call from the First Southern Presbyterian Church of Austin.